Saddle position is solely determined by the shape of the horse and the saddle tree, not the rigging placement. One of the most common things we see when doing a saddle fitting is horse owners wanting to put their saddle way too forward on the horse's back. Proper saddle position plays a huge factor in performance and comfort for your horse. 

If you are setting them too far forward, it can damage the back and compress the shoulder muscles. People are so used to seeing saddles in the forward position because many are going off of the cinch/rigging position alone. This will set your rigging right by the elbow, but it then causes your saddle to sit directly on top of the shoulder blade. 

A saddle will naturally slide back into the "sweet spot" (its proper position), but if you have a tightened breast collar or crupper, the saddle will be unable to move to the right placement and this will cause issues. 

Having your saddle sit too far forward will not only cause damage to your horse, but also unstable riding for you. If you are experiencing rolling, back soreness (especially up by the wither), or sliding problems with your saddle, this may be your issue. 

Have you ever wore a piece of clothing or anything that is tight on your shoulder blade? It is a horrible feeling that restricts movement and causes discomfort. The same thing applies to positioning your saddle. Having your saddle sit right on top of your horse's shoulder restricts movement. The shoulders should be able to move freely and not be squeezed. Having them right on top causes high pressure spots. 

The biggest tool you can use is your sense of touch. We are going to go step by step on how to properly position your saddle and it is all about feeling!

Step 1:

A western saddle tree is made to sit right behind the shoulder blade, not on top of it. Having it sit correctly will allow the shoulder movement your horse needs. 

First, take your hand and feel the back of your horse's shoulder blade/scapula. You can feel the edge and where it actually ends. You can cup your fingertips around this area to get an idea of how it feels. Familiarize yourself with that feeling because you will use it once your saddle is on too! 

Step 2:

Now that you have an idea of what that scapula feels like, it is time to add the saddle. A western saddle is designed to rest in that "wither pocket". 

What we do at our shop is line up the back of the horse's scapula with the concho of the saddle. Once the saddle is on, take your hand again and find the back of the scapula. 

Once you feel that edge, look at where the saddle concho is sitting. It should line up with the back of the shoulder blade. You can even check this with a saddle pad on to make sure you are still sitting in the proper spot. 

We do not recommend checking when you have your saddle cinched down because it will tighten things and make it harder to feel. This is something you should do before cinching up. 

If you are used to placing your saddle more forward, this will look a little wonky to you. But I promise it will make such a difference for you and your horse! If you are curious and have any questions, feel free to reach out to us. 

Take a look at the examples below and test it out for yourself. We hope this helps not only your horse, but you as well. If you would like to read more on proper saddle position, check out these other articles! They go in depth from a saddle maker's perspective and it gives a lot of insight to proper saddle placement. 

https://www.rodnikkel.com/content/tree-and-saddle-...

https://www.synergistsaddles.com/proper-saddle-pos...

(picture credit: https://www.synergistsaddles.com/proper-saddle-pos... )